Net losses raise concerns at Tech

Published: Thursday, March 01, 2001

BRENT SCHROTENBOERAvalanche-Journal

After four straight years of ''consistently declining performance'' on the basketball court, the status of the Texas Tech men's team has become the subject of serious concern among Tech administrators and will be evaluated after the season.

Tech President David Schmidly, in an interview Wednesday, cited four straight losing seasons and less-than-stellar attendance at games as reason for concern with head coach James Dickey and his program.

Tech has lost 10 of its last 11 games, including Wednesday night's 80-63 loss to No. 8 Iowa State. The loss drops Tech to 9-17 overall and 3-12 in the Big 12 Confer-ence.

''I am concerned about it,'' Schmidly said. ''Hopefully, we're going to get that turned around. We're going to be reviewing that after the season. I don't want to say anything else about it until after the season.''

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Dickey is in his 10th year as Tech's head coach and has three years remaining on his contract, which is scheduled to end on April 30, 2004. He entered the current season with a 157-105 record at Tech and has battled the loss of nine scholarships over the past four years because of NCAA sanctions.

''Basketball is a sport that can be severely impacted by major penalties,'' Schmidly said. ''You don't have that many scholarships, and when you can't give out the full load, it can really catch up with you. But I am concerned about the fact we have consistently declined in our performance over the last several years.''

Tech coaches are routinely evaluated by administrators after each of their respective seasons. Dickey's case will be evaluated the same way, Tech athletic director Gerald Myers said. Myers declined to say whether Dickey would return or not next year.

''I just think I'll sit down and talk to him, get his feelings, see what he thinks, see how he feels about everything and see how it goes from there,'' Myers said.

''I want to see us get better. We've definitely got to get better. I don't think anybody's satisfied with the season. Not the coach, the fans, anybody. Hopefully, we can show improvement in the future,'' he said.

After Wednesday's loss in Ames, Iowa, Dickey vowed not to quit his job and his mission, no matter the struggles of the moment.

''I'm disappointed the season hasn't gone better,'' he said in a phone interview. ''But I don't do my own evaluation. That's up to the chancellor (John Montford), president and coach Myers. The program's not where I want it to be, by any means.''

Asked if he plans to come back next year, Dickey said, ''Only if the chancellor, president and coach Myers feel it's the correct thing to do. From a personal standpoint, I made this statement four years ago when I signed my contract. This is the place (wife) Bettye and I and our family want to be. I'm not going to fire myself. I'm not going to quit.''

Dickey's contract stipulates that ''neither the men's basketball team's won-lost record or attendance at men's basketball games shall constitute good cause for termination'' without compensation. Like the contracts of its other employees, however, Tech can terminate his contract without cause as long as it fulfills the remaining financial obligations in his contract.

Dickey would be owed at least $200,000 in base salary for every year remaining on his contract if he is fired without cause.

Dickey had not endured a losing season at Tech until each of the last four years. Before his first losing season in 1997-98, Dickey's team had gone 49-11 in two seasons from 1995-97, including 30-2 in 1995-96.

That was the same season Tech forward Darvin Ham was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated breaking a backboard with a dunk in the NCAA Tournament.

''They still show that picture of Darvin Ham breaking that backboard,'' Schmidly said. ''That kind of exposure is very important for this institution. I want us to do the things to get back there competitively.''

Tech has averaged an announced paid crowd of 9,504 in 13 home games this year. That figure includes no-shows, pushing the average turnstile attendance closer to 4,000.

Brent Schrotenboer can be reached at 766-8733 or at bschrotenboer@lubbockonline.com